Acetylene-gas generator.



No. 686,648. Patented Nov. I2, 190:. T. A. BRYAN.

ACETYLENE GAS GENERATOR.

(Application filed Oct. 25, 1900.)

(No Model.) v 2 Sheets-Sheet I.

A?! a a 1- v 5d F? f :E..- 5 -1 '1 if I f a I J N0. 636,648. Patented NOV. l2, IQOL T. A. BRYAN.

ACETYLENE GAS GENERATOR.

(Application filed Oct. 25, KQQOJ -2 shank-sheet 2.

(No Model.)

7 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS A. BRYAN, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

ACETYLEN E-GAS G EN ERATO R.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 686,648, dated November 12, 1901. Application filed October 25, 1900- Serial No. 34350. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS A. BRYAN,acitizen of the United States, residing at Baltimore city, in the State of Maryland, have invented new and useful Improvements in Acetylene-Generators, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to acetylene-gas generators, and has for its general object to provide an improved feed device for supplying the carbid to the water of the generatingchamber.

A further object of the invention relates to an improved arrangement of parts connected with the valve mechanism of the apparatus whereby when it is necessary to charge the apparatus with carbid the connection between the generator and the gasometer must be closed before the supply-chute for the carbid can be opened and the feed of the carbid to the generator prevented simultaneously therewith.

Further objects of the invention relate to certain details'of construction and to combinationsand arrangements of parts, all of which will hereinafter be fully described, and

specifically indicated in the claims.

In order that my invention may be fully understood, I have illustrated the same in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a view in elevation of a coinplete apparatus constructed according to my invention, the generator being shown in elevation and the gasometer in sect-ion, the latter being illustrated in order to show the method of operating the feed device. is a sectional elevation of the generator. Fig.

3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2 and viewed in the direction of the arrow. Fig. 4 is adetail view,partly in section, of the sprocket-wheel attachment to the feed device. Fig. 5 is a sectional side elevation of the same, and Fig. 6 is a detail view of the valve mechanism controlling the supply of gas between the gasometer and thegenerator and the mechanism connected therewith.

My feed device is of the class designed to feed 'fresh carbid in suitable quantities and at intervals determined by the consumption of the gas. In machines of the character to which my invention relates many means have been devised for controlling the discharge of Fig. 2

the carbid into the generator. Of these machines those which have come into more or less general use have either employed receptacles of one kind or another for discharging given amounts of carbid at each operation or else they have employed magazines with'apparatus connected therewith and designed to feed granulated carbid to the water in the generator. The objection to machines of the former description is that at each cycle of movement of the device of the apparatus a given amount of carbid is always supplied to the generator, and a given volume of gas in consequence is generated. Thus it may I transpire that a moment or two before the apparatus is shut down it would be operated to discharge a fixed quantity of carbid'into the generator. The apparatus being shut downthat is to say, the consumption of gas being discontinuedthe subsequent generation of the gas makes it necessary that a considerable volume of the gas must be retained in the holder until it becomes necessary to 'use it. This usually would be from ten to fourteen hours, according to the season of the yearthat is to say, during day-light. This after generation of the gas is something that operates to the disadvantageof an apparatus in that there is always present an element of danger when any considerable quantity of gas remains stored, due to the fact that in the event of fire or of the apparatus being struck by lightning disastrous consequences might ensue. In machines of, the latter character there is, so far as I am aware, no means for insuring an accurate feed of the carbid or for preventing the carbid from bridging or packing in the compartment in which it is stored. Furthermore, the granulated carbid is more expensive than the ordinary carbid of commerce.

My invention aims to overcome all of the objections above indicated and toprovide an apparatus in which the feed of the carbid may not only be accurately regulated and in approximately exact proportions to the consumption of the gas, but one in which the bridging or packing of the carbid in the supply-chute will be avoided and in which generation of the gas after the apparatus has been shut down will be prevented.

I also aim by my invention to provide an apparatus that will accurately feed a mass of carbid which is partly in the form of lumps of various sizes and partly in the form of powder.

I will now proceed to describe the invention, referring to the accompanying drawings.

The numeral 1 indicates the generator, and 2 the gasometer.

The numeral 3 indicates the water-tank of the generator, and 4 the casing of the feed apparatus for the carbid, supported upon said water-tank and having its lower portion open and communicating with said tank, as indicated at 5. Journaled in the wallof this casing4 is a feed-roller6, the peripheryof which is corrugated to provide a series of transverse grooves 7, the ends of said. grooves being closed by the ends 8 of the roller, which project slightly beyond the corrugated surface of the roller to prevent the carbid from feeding out at the ends of the grooves 7. Gentrally of the roller 6 I provide an annular radially-projecting corrugated band 9, the corrugations providing a series of projections for the purpose to be presently explained. Around one end of the roller 6 I arrange in a circular manner a series of pins 10.

The numeral 11 indicates a shaft upon which the roller 6 is supported, said shaft being journaled at 12 in the wall of easing 5 and extending through a stuffing-box 13 in the opposite wall of said casing. On the outer end of the shaft 11 is secured asprocket-wheel 14, having an outer series of teeth 15 and an inner series 16. The sprocket-wheel 14 has a hub 1'7, which is loose upon the shaft 11 and is confined against lateral movementin one direction by a collar 18 on said shaft. The spokes 19 of said sprocket-wheel are offset to one side, as shown in Fig. 5.

The numeral 20 indicates a sleeve which is held fast on the end of the shaft 11 by means of a set-screw 21. The sleeve 20 carries an arm 22,which projects outward therefrom and is adapted to lie within the sprocket-wheel in the plane of its rim. The arm 22 is recessed at its upper end, as indicatedat 23, and within said recessed portion is pivotally mounted a dog 24,which is normally held against the wall 25 of the recess by means of a spring 26, secured on one edge of the arm 22. By reference to Fig. 4 it will be seen that in a movement in one .directionthat is to say, to the right of the wheel 14-the spring 26 will yield to permit the dog 24 to ride over the teeth 16 of the sprocket-wheel 14, while in the move ment in the opposite direction said dog will engage the teeth 16 and be brought against the wall 25 of the recess 23, so that in this movement the arm 22 will be rotated by the wheel 14. Mounted upon the gasometer are the uprights 27, which support at their outer ends rollers 28. Over these rollers extends a cable 29, secured to the lower end of which is a sprocket-chain 30, which partially encircles the sprocket-wheel 14 and engages the teeth 15 thereof. Secured to the lower end of the sprocket-chain 30 is a weight 31. Connected to the top of the bell 32 of the gasometer is a section of pipe 33, which is closed at its lower end and by means of a suitable bushing 34 at it upper end provides a small opening through which the cable 29 extends. Within the pipe 33 and connected to the cable 29 is a weight 35, which is of less weight than the weight 31. The closing-cap of the pipe 33 is indicated by the numeral 36. On the generator is a stop 36, on which the weight 31 is adapted to rest.

The numeral 37 indicates the outlet-pipe of the gasometer, and the numeral 38 the pipe leading from the generator into the gasometer, said pipe 38 connecting with athree-way valve 39,which is supported by pipe 40,leading from the generator.

The numeral 41 indicates a pipe leading from the casing of the three-way valve 39 t0 the outer air. The numeral 42 indicates a rod for operating said three-way valve.

The numeral 43 indicates a chute or hopper for containing a supply of carbid, which is to be fed in regular quantities to the generator. The hopper 43 is closed at its upper end by means of a lid 44, pivoted at 45 to the hopper. Pivotally mounted on the end of the hopper is a bell 46, having a set-screw 47, which is adapted to be screwed into a socket in the upper end of a projection 48 on the lid 44. The rod 42 is supported by means of a keeper 49, secured on the side of the hopper 43. Said arm 42 has at its outer end a crank 50, projecting at right angles thereto and normally lying above and in engagement with the set-screw 47. Loosely mounted on and suspended from a rod 5l,which is supported by opposite walls of the casing 4, between which it extends immediately above the feed-roller 6, are aseries of fingers 52, which are disposed relatively close together and capable of independent movement. These fingers 52 are preferably made of a heavy metal, such as lead, and are heaviest at their lower end, as shown, and the position of the rod 51 above the roller 6 is such that the fingers 52 normally rest upon the outer surface of the feed-roller 6, as best shown in Fig. 2. Pivotally mounted at 53, within the casing 4 and beneath the lower end of the hopper 43, is a trough 54, which has extending from its bottom at one side an arm 55, which extends into the path of movement of the circular series of pins 10, located on the end of the roller 6. The trough 54 overlaps a second trough 56, pivoted near one end at 57 within the casing 4 and having its other end resting upon the band 9 of the feedroller 6. Supported in and extending between the sides 58 of the trough 56 is arod 59, upon which a series of pendent fingers 60 are loosely and independently mounted. The

fingers 6O correspond somewhat to the fingers 52, except that they are shorter, but they are also relatively very heavy. These fingers 60 are swung from the rod 59 and are not in engagement with any other part of the mechanism. It will be seen that the troughs 54 and 56 are each pivotally mounted toward their rear ends, so that the tendency of the front ends of said troughs is to fall.

The operation of the apparatus as thus far described will now be explained, it being assumed that the hopper 43 has been filled with carbid that will pass through the opening in the top of the hopper and that sufficient carbid has been supplied to the generator to generate gas enough to cause the bell of the gasometer to rise. As the bell rises the weight 31 falls and through the medium of the sprocketchain 30 revolves the sprocket-wheel 14. In this movement of the sprocket-wheel the dog 24 rides over the teeth 16 and the feed apparatus is not operated. This continues until the weight 31 strikes and rests upon the stop 36*. In the further upward movement of the bell the weight 35 will be suspended in the pipe 33. As gas is consumed the bell 32 will gradually fall and 'at the proper time the bushing 34 will strike against the top of the weight 35 and carry said weight downwardly. This pull upon the cable 29 will raise the sprocketchain 30 and lift the weight 31 from stop 36 and will cause the sprocket-wheel 14 to be revolved in a direction opposite to. that just described. In this movement of the sprocketwheel the teeth 16 will engage the dog 24 and carry it against the wall 25, and thus cause the arm 22 to be moved with the saidwheel and to rotate the shaft 11. The shaft 11 as it rotates will rotate the feed-roller 6 in the direction indicated by the arrow thereon in Fig. 2 In the rotation of the feed-roller any powdered or fine portions of carbid which may be in the grooves 7 of thefeed-roller will be discharged into the tank 3. The lumps of carbid of a greater or less size will be held back by the fingers 52, and as the feed-roller continues to revolve the fingers 52 will be pressed outward by the lumps of carbid, and said lumps will be permitted to fall gradually into the tank 3, so that only a limited quanti of carbid can be fed to the tank 3 before sil gnmtgas will be generated to stop the downwar ovement of the bell, and consequently the rotation of the feed-roller. It will be seen, therefore, that no great amount of carbid can at any time be fed to the tank 3 by reason of the fact that as soon as the carbid is fed to the tank the generation of the gas and its passage to the gasometer will almost instantaneously occur, the bell be prevented from falling further, and the rotation of the feed-roller 6 stopped. Hence it will be seen that if the apparatus should be shut down at any given time there would be practically no after generation of gas. It will be further seen that the feed of the carbid to the generator will be practically in exact proportion to the consumption of the gas. The fine carbid carried in the groove 7 and discharged in the rotation of the roller 6 into the tank 3 may prove sufficient to temporarily arrest the downward movement of the bell; but should this not be,

the case a further rotation of the roller will permit a lump of the carbid to fall into the tank, so that the greater amount of carbid is supplied when the least amount of gas is in the gasometer, as fine carbid can be dis charged into the generator before the larger lumps will be liberated by the fingers 52. The purpose of the fingers or pendants is to prevent the too-rapid feed of the carbid from the hopper 43 to the surface of the feed roller. The carbid falling from the hopper strikes against these fingers, which will yield to permit the carbid to pass, but will operate to retard the rapidity of its descent. This movement of these fingers is facilitated and the continuous feed of the carbid insured by the fact that as the feed-roller 6 revolves the trough 56, which rests upon said roller, will have its front end raised by the corrugated portion of the band 9 and will then fall into a groove. Hence in the operation of the apparatus an intermittent rising-and-falling movement is imparted to the trough 56,'which not only operates to agitate in a sudden and sharp manner the carbid resting upon said trough, but as the front end of the trough falls 7 suddenly into a groove the fingers 60 will be thrown or will swing a considerable distance outward and permit the carbid to pass them. The trough 54 is agitated in a similar manner by the engagement of the arm 55 with the pins 10 upon the end ofthefeed-roller6,the said arm being first raised by a pin, and thereby raising the front end of the trough 54, and as the pin passes from the arm it falls suddenly, and this jar will cause the carbid upon the trough 54 to be agitated, and thus insure its proper feed forward. The feed forward of the carbid is also accelerated by the fact' that both of the troughs 54 and 56 have an inclined position. By the arrangement of the pivoted troughs and the means for agitating the same I absolutely prevent alldanger of the carbid clogging or bridging in the hopper 43 and insure the accurate feed of the carbid to the roller 6. Pivotally mounted toward the front of thecasing 4 is a rod 61, secured to and depending from which is an apron 62, which may be brought into a position to have its lower end bear upon the surface of the feedroller 6. The means for operating this apron will now be described. On the lower end of the rod 42 for operating the three-way valve 39 is a crank 63, secured to which is a rod 64, which is pivotally connected to a crank-arm 65, forming a continuation of the rod 61. In order to remove the cover from the hopper 43, it will be seen that it is necessary to first turn the project-ing portion 50 of the rod 42 from above the set-screw 47. In turning this rod the valve 39 will be turned to close communication between the generator and the gasometer through pipe 38 and to open communication from the generator to the outer air through pipe 41. At the same time the rod 64 will be pushed forward by the crank in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 1, and

&

the apron 62 will be turned so that its lower edge will engage the surface of the roller 6. The purpose of the apron 62 when turned in contact with the feed-roller is to prevent anylnmps of carbid from being accidentally discharged into the generator.

Supported within the tank 8 upon suitable bearings 66 and designed to be operated by a crank-arm 67 is a grate or sieve 68, which is normally weighted at one edge, as shown at 69, and is supported toward said edge by a stop 70, secured to the wall of the tank 3. The sieve 68 is normally submerged in the water of the tank 3, the water-level in said tank being indicated by the dotted line in Fig. 3. The purpose of this sieve is to receive the fresh charges of carbid and permit the carbid to be thoroughly disintegrated by the water. In the operation of an acetylenegenerator a quantity of spent lime gradually accumulates in the bottom of the generatingtanlr, and if the lumps of carbid be discharged directly into the tank and be permitted to fall into this sediment it will be prevented, to a large degree, from giving off the gas, and gradually a quantity of only partially-slaked carbid will accumulate in the bottom of the generator, and upon opening the generator, if this mass be stirred, quite a quantity of acetylene gas will be liberated. By providing the sieve 68 the carbid as it is discharged into the generator is held suspended in the water and may be attacked from all sides thereof, so that it will be free to give 01f its gas rapidly. After the carbid has become thoroughly spent the sieve maybe upset by means of the handle 67 and the spent carbid dumped therefrom and permitted to fall to the bottom of the tank 3. The spent carbid may from time to time be discharged through the slush-valve 70. This valve is normally closed by means of a disk 71, carried by a rod 72, which is held in adjustable relation upon a pivoted lever 7 3, by which it is operated. By reason of lever 73 the rod 72 is pressed inward, and hence the disk 71 is moved away from the opening of the slush-valve 70. By means of a set-screw 74, which is swiveled in the end of the lever 73 and screwed upon the outer end of the rod 72, the proper adjustment between said lever and rod may be made to make up for wear of the disk 71.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. The combination in an acetylene-generator, of a feed-roller and means for rotating it, a series of pendants pivotally mounted above the roller and having their lower ends bearing against the grooved surface thereof, a hopper for the carbid,,and means for agitating the carbid located between the hopper and said feed-roller, substantially as described.

2. The combination in an acetylene-generator, of a feed-roller and means for rotating it, a hopper for the carbid, a swinging buflt'er located between the hopper and the feedroller and outof contact with the latter, for controlling the flow of the carbid to said roller, and a series of pendants pivotally mounted above the roller and having their lower ends bearing against the grooved surface thereof, substantially as described.

3. The combination in an acetylene-generator,of a grooved feed-rollerand means for retating it, a hopper for the carbid, a yielding buffer for the carbid located between the hopper and the feed-roller, a trough for conveying the carbid from the hopper to the feedroller, and means for agitating said trough, substantially as described.

4. The combination in an acetylene-generator, of a grooved feed-roller and means for rotating it, a series of pendants pivotally mounted above the roller and having their lower ends bearing against the grooved surface thereof, a hopper for the carbid, a trough pivotally mounted at one end adjacent to the hopper and having its opposite end resting upon said roller, and a swinging bufier for the carbid located between said hopper and roller, substantially as described.

5. The combination in an acetylene-generator, of a grooved feed-roller and means for rotating it, a series of pendants pivotally mounted above the roller and having their lower ends bearing against the grooved surface thereof, a hopper for the carbid, a trough pivotally mounted at one end adjacent to said hopper and having its opposite end resting upon said roller, and a series of pendants carried by said trough and extending into the path of the flow of the carbid from the hopper, substantially as described.

6. The combination in an acetylene-generator, of a grooved feed-roller and means for rotating it, a hopper for the carbid, a trough pivotally mounted adjacent to the roller and having its free end resting upon said roller, a trough pivotally mounted adjacent to the hopper and having its free end overlapping said first-named trough, means carried by the roller for agitating both of said troughs, and a yielding buffer located in the path of the flow of the carbid to control the supply of the same by the feed-roller to the generator, substantially as described.

7. The combination in an acetylene-generator, of a grooved feed-roller and means for rotating it, a hopper for the carbid, a trough pivotally mounted adjacent to said feedroller and having its free end resting upon the same, a trough 5t pivotally mounted adjacent to the hopper and overlapping the first-named trough, a circular series of pins projecting from the end of the feed-roller, an arm carried by the trough 54 and projecting into the path of said pins, and a series of pendants located in the path of the flow of the carbid from the hopper to the feed-roller, substantially as described.

8. The combination in an acetylene-generator, of a grooved feed-roller and means for rotating it, a carbid-supply located in proximity to the roller, a series of pendants pivotally mounted above the roller and having their lower ends bearing against the grooved surface thereof, and an apron located adjacent to the roller and adapted to be turned into engagement with the same to prevent the feed of carbid, substantially as described.

9. The combination in an acetylene-generator, of a grooved feed-roller and means for rotating it, a carbid-supply located in proximity to the roller, an apron pivotally mounted adjacent to said roller, a gasometer, a three-way valve, pipes connecting said threeway valve with the generator and gasometer and with the outer air, a rod for turning said three-way valve, a crank carried by said rod, and a connection between said crank and said apron, whereby when the valve is turned to close communication between the generator and the gasometer and open communication from the generator to the air, said apron will be turned by said crank into engagement with the roller to prevent the feed of carbid, substantially as described.

10. The combination in an acetylene-generator, of a grooved feed-roller and means for rotating it, a hopper for supplying carbid to the roller, a closure for the outer end of said hopper, an apron pivotally mounted adjacent to the feed-roller, a gasometer, a three-way valve, pipes connecting said three-way valve with the generator and the gasometer and the outer air, a rod for turning said three- Way valve having an arm extending over the closure of said hopper, a crank on said rod and connections between said crank and said apron, the combination being and operating substantially as and for the purpose described.

11. The combinationin an acetylene-generator, of a grooved feed-roller and means for rotating it, a corrugated band located centrally of said roller, a hopper for the carbid, a trough pivotally mounted near one of its ends adjacent to the hopper and having its opposite end resting upon said corrugated band, substantially as and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

THOMAS A. BRYAN.

Witnesses: HENRIETTA WHITEHILL, J NO. K. WINDROUGH. 

